Method of making articles of metal.



D. N. PRIME. METHOD OF MAKING ARTICLES OF METAL. APPLICATION TILED NOV. 24, 1908 1,1 14,384. Patented 0041.20, 1914.

W/TNESSES //\/vE/v 70R.

' M a. W Zf% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL N. PRIME, OF LYNN, MASSACH USETTS, ASSIGNOB TO UNITED SHOE MACHIN- ERY COMPANY, OF PATEBSON, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF MAKING ARTICLES OF METAL Specification 0! e s t nt Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application filed November 24; 1808. Serial No. 464,228.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL N. PRIME, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn. in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of Making Articles of Metal, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicatinglike parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to a new method of forming articles of metal of that class in which the blank from which the article is to be made undergoes a change from one form or she. e to another during the manufacture of tie article, and is especially applicable to the manufacture of articles of such class from ironor' steel, although by no means limited to the use of that metal.

In making articles, such as above referred to, from steel, it is usual to bend the blank to the shape desired in the finished article before it is tempered or hardened, in cases where it is desired that the finished article he hardened, as after the hardening, the steel is more diflicult to bend and has also become somewhat brittle and apt to break if bent more than a. certain amount from its original form or sha c. This bending of the soft or unhardene steel to the shape desired is usually performed while the portion of the blank at, which the bending is to occur is heated to a red heat. and thereafter the blank sets as it cools and retains the shape to which it has been bent.

On account of the difliculty of handling a red hot blank however and of determining with precision its exact conformity to the shape desired, especially when the expansion of the metal is considered and whenthe article to be produced is small, the above indicated method has proved unsatisfactory in many instances and the chief feature of this invention relates to a new method of forming articles of the above indicated description with precision and exactness. This is accomplished by bendingthe metallic blank while cold to the shape desired and holdin it in the shape to which it has been heat while applying heat thereto to set it in said shape. Any desired holding means may be utilized for maintaining the blank as at between the operations of bendin .and setting and the properly shaped blan may be subjected subsequently to any suitable hardening process if desired.

Another feature of the invention relates to the novel method of supporting a blank as it is bent and of holding it in the proper shape, and a further feature relates to the method of supporting and holding a blank as bent, where y the supporting and holding means are simultaneously removed as the blank is set in its new shape. This is accomplished by securing the blank as bent to a plate, block or frame of some material preferably having a comparatively lowmelting point, such as lead. Any preferred means may be utilized for securing the blank in position, such as stops driven into the block to which the blank is secured. The block with the blank secured in position thereto is then exposed to a temperature suflicient to set the blank, preferably by being immersed in a medium which is maintained at the necessary tern eraturc. In case a late or block of a meta such as lead, is utilized for the su port of a bent blank, said plate with the b ank in osition thereof may be lowered into a batho melted lead which quickly raises the blank to a cherry red heat, sullicient to take out any sprin iness or tendency to return to its former siape which may remain in the blank, while at the same time the block on which the blank was mounted is melted and the blank floats on the surface of the fluid metal from which it may be removed by any suitable method.

Fcr the sake of illustration the method above referred to will be described in connection with the manufacture of a steel die to be used in dieing out leather, felt, paper or other sheet material, but it is to be understood that the method is by no means limited to use in connection with the manufacture of articles of the above class, being applicable also to-many others, such as springs, race-' ways for eyeleting machines and generally wherever the blank undergoes a permanent change in form during the manufacture of the article.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the manufacture by a preferred form of my new method, of a die such as above referred to, from a blank having the form of a narrow strip or ribbon, of metal, and in said drawings: Figure. 1 is a perspective view showing the blank bent in part to the shape it is desired to impart thereto and held in position on its support, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the completed die.

Referring to said drawings, 2 represents the block or support preferably of some material having a comparatively low melting point, such as lead. The blank from which the article is to be made is indicated at 4 and as shown has the form of a narrow strip or ribbon of metal thou h its form would depend upon the form 0 the article to be made therefrom. As a general rule the cross-section of the blank should be substantially the same as that of the completed article. The blank is bent to the shape desired either manually or by other power and during the bending operation it is secured in position on the support 2 and held against any tendency to return to its former shape by suitable means such as retaining ins 6 which are firmly held in the material of said support and engage the sides of said blank to prevent it from springin back to its former shape. These pins wifi referably be driven into the metal of the b ock on either side of the blank as it is bent and their position and number will of course vary with the nature and amount of the cur vature imparted to the blank at any portion thereof. Preferably the bending of the blank is accompanied at each stage by positioning the appro riate retaining pins to hold the art alrea y bent against yielding or sprin lng in either direction.

At 8 t ere is indicated a mark or scratch on the surface of sup art 2 which indicates the shape to which t e blank is to be bent and serves as a guide to show when the blank has been bent to exactly the shape desired. After the bendin of the blank has been completed, and while it is held in said shape by its retaining means it is raised to a temperature at which it loses all springiness or tendency to return to the shape it had at first, preferably by being immersed in a medium of the desired temperature such as melted lead. A bath of this com osition is especially ap ropriate in case a cad block or plate 18 uti ized as a support for the blank 4. In this case the support with the blank in position thereon is turned so that the blank is located at the under side thereof and then lowered into the bath. The block of lead being above the blank causes said blank to be entirely immersed in the melted lead of the bath, where it is quickly raised to a temperature sufficient to remove all springincss or tendency to return to its original shape. At the same time, the metal of the block is melted and joins the melted metal of the bath, and. the blank is freed from its holding means and floats on the surface of the bath from which it is removed by any convenient method.

To complete the die it is necessary to braze its ends together, and to temper it, but as these are both well known processes and, in their specific form constitute no part of the present invention, they need not be specifically described herein.

The term setting used in the present specification with reference to the blank should be construed to cover the operation of removing from the blank the internal stresses incident to the cold bending thereof, which stresses, if not removed, would have a constant tendency to distort the finished article.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The method of forming cutting dies from strip steel which consists in marking on a metallic plate the outline required in the die, bending a strip of steel step by step, while cold, to said outline and applying heat to the blank so formed for setting it in such shape.

2. The methodof forming cutting dies from strip'steel which consists in marking upon a fusible plate the outline required in the die, securing a strip of steel, while cold, to said plate in conformity with said outline and applying heat to the blank so formed and to said plate for setting the blank and meltin the plate.

3. T is method of forming articles of metalwhich consists in bending a blank to the desired shape during the bending operation, applying means for maintaining the blank accurately in such shape, and setting the blank so that it will of itself retain its shape.

4. The method of forming articles of metal which consists in bending a blank to the desired shape during the .bending operation, applying means for maintaining the blank accurately in such shape, and applying heat for setting the blank so that it Wlll of itself retain its shape.

5. The method of forming articles of metal which consists in bending a blank to the desired shape during the bending operation. applying means for maintaining the blank accurately in such shape,' and applying heat for setting the blank so that it Wlll of itself retain its shape, and removing the blank retainin means.

6. The met 0d of forming articles of metal which consists in bending a blank to the shape desired, supporting the blank as bent on a block of material having a comparatively low melting point by successively inserting fasteners during the bending 0 eration and applying heat to the blank an its support to set the blank and to melt the block on which said blank is supported.

7. The method of making dies which consists in bendin cold a strip of steel into 'the required out ine, during the bending op- III eration securing the stri progressively to a lead bloc inverting this bloc and the attached blan and finally immersing them with the block on' top in a lead batbto set the blank and release it from the block.

8. The method of formin articles of metal which consists in ben in a blank step-by-step to the shape des' securing the blank to a. block 0 material having a comparatively low melting point by fasteners applied at each successive etc of the bending operation, and immersing and its support in a medium of sufiicient temperature to set the blank in the shape desired and remove its support.

9. The method of forming metal which consists inben a blank to the shape desired, mounting e blank as bent on a block of material having a comparatively low melting point, and immersmg the blank and its sup ort in a bath of the same com osition as t block on which the bent bla is mounted to set the blank and to melt its support.

articles of fastening devices set in position eblank 10. The method of forming articles of metal which consists in bending cold to the mred outline a strip of steel, securing the strip in its bent form by a succession of bendin d l li b go tionan apy' eattote blank so ormed for setting i tl i n shape.

11. The met 'od of forming articles of metal which consists in ben cold to the required outline a strip of stee and during the hen operation seen and strip with its ge against a me 'e plate by fastening devices acting on the flat surfaces of said strip a plying heat to the blank formed h t e t strip for setting the blank in pc and removmg said fastening devices.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witneses.

DANIEL N. PRIME.

Witnesses:

Hnnm W. Knnnr, Ari-Ema L. Russsnn.

' .metal which consists in ben in eration securing the strip progressively to step-by-st p to the she desi 'the blank to a block 0 material having a comparatively low melting point by fasteners applied ateeach successive ste and its, support in amedium of suflicient temperature to set vthe blank in theshape I and to melt its support.

corrections in Letters Patent No. 1 ,1 14,384;

desired and remove its support.

9. The method of forming articles of metal which consists inben ablank to the shape desired, mounting t e blank as bent on a block of material having a com paratively low melting point, and immersmg the blank and its support in a bath of the same com osition as the block on which the bent b1 is mounted to set provement in the comma;

of the bending operation, and immersing t e blank 10.1118 method of iorming articles of metal which consists in bending cold to the StllP in'its' bent form by a succession of fastening devices set in position during the bending ?eration and applying heat to the blank so ormed for setting it in shape.

11. The method offorming articles of. metal which consists in bendin cold tothe required outline a strip of stee and during the bending operation said strip with itsedge against a metal "a plate by fastening devices acting on the flat surfaces ofjsaid" strip apnllying heat to the blank t strip formed b 't e for setting the blank in ape'and removing saidfastening devices.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naineto this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. DANIEL N. PRIME.

Witn: Y

Harem W. Knxwar,

the blank specification ieqhiringcori'ectionasfollows; Page 2,

Signed and this'lflth day of February, 'A. D.,- l915.,

' AnurUnIaRUssnu.

It is'hereby certified that in Letters Patent N 1,114,384, ranted o m'ber 1914, upon the application of' Daniel N Prime, of Lynn, Ma'si-xachusetts,v for. n im.; Methods of Making Articles of Metal, errors appeariin the-printed iineges,-1eegaiia iisjafter the word shape9-insert a comma; same page, lines 100. 107, and llet, strike out w i and that the said Letters'Patent should be read with these corrections.

therein that the same may conform the record of the casein the PatentOflice.

J.T.1\lE\?VT()1l, Acting Commissioner ofoutline astrip of steel, securing the i Corrections in Letters Patent No. 1 ,1 14,384.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,114,384, granted October- 20, 1914, upon the application of Daniel N. Prime, of Lynn, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Methods of Making Articles of Metal, errors appear in theprinted 'apecific'ation requiring eorreetion ta follower Page 2, iine 99, I06ahd1lafter the word ahape" inserta OOIHIPB; same page, lines 100. 107, and 114, atrike out the comma; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same niay conform to the record of the casein the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of February, A- 1)., 1915.,

[than] J. T. NEWTON,

Acting Oommiuiomr of Paton. 

